Conservation Volunteers wanted

: Cherhill Down Conservation Group; The National Trust would like to hear from anybody young or old who can spare a morning once a month to get involved with a new Cherhill Down Conservation Group.

It’s a chance to socialise, have fun, learn some new skills and do some good for the countryside around you.

If you are interested, please call Keith Steggall (National Trust Warden, Calstone and Cherhill Downs) on 01672 593167.

Morgans Hill Nature Reserve

Volunteers Needed: The majority of Britain's chalk grassland sites are found in Wiltshire, and one particularly beautiful chalk reserve is Morgan's Hill, which lies beyond the Smallgrain Picnic site off the Calne Road.

A short walk up the Roman road leading to the reserve rewards visitors with spectacular views over the north Wiltshire countryside. The reserve is a Spcial Site of Scientific interest (SSSI), and covers 12.5 hectares of sloping chalk downland.

Most of the grassland is unimproved, so has never been ploughed or improved with artificial fertilisers, so a wide diversity of wild flowers remains. The changing seasons bring an array of wildlife including cowslips and violets in the spring, orchids in the summer, and devil's bit and small scabious in the autumn.

The reserve is also important for butterflies, and on a warm summer day, the ground is alive with butterflies such as common blue, marbled white and a particular rarity is the nationally scarce Duke of Burgandy.

Grazing by cattle is very important for maintaining the balance of wildflowers and scrub, and currently the reserve is grazed by a small herd of Dexter cattle. The welfare of the cattle is very important to the Wildlife Trust, and we are seeking volunteers with an interest in cattle, who are able to visit the reserve regularly and wouild be able to assist with checking and ensuring that the gates are shut.

If you would like to help, please contact Catherine Hosie on 01380 725670

November 2007: I am the National Trust warden that looks after Calstone and Cherhill Downs. I hope to make a regular contribution to this newsletter to let you know what work is going on, any events which might be happening or wildlife to look out for up on The Downs. As well as letting you know about projects that I have planned for The Downs, I am quite happy to receive any suggestions of improvements which could be made.

At the moment, erosion repairs to Oldbury Castle with some help from volunteer groups is the main job. This will continue into next year when I would like to set some dates when I could invite local people to come and help with the repairs.

There have also been repairs to some of the gates and stiles this year, and I plan to continue improvements by putting in dog gates next to stiles wherever I can, or to replace stiles with gates where this is practical.

If you would like to contact me, please call Keith Steggall on mobile number 07789 481048 or e-mail me on keith.steggall@nationaltrust.org.uk